Earthquake!
by Lushcoltrane
Summary: Disaster strikes Los Angeles and no one is safe.
1. Chapter 1 The Earth Moved

Disclaimer: _Victorious_ and its characters are the property of Schneider's Bakery and Nickelodeon. This story is for entertainment purposes only and no money exchanged hands. No copyright infringement is intended. The original characters, situations, and story are the property of the author. No profit is intended or wanted for this story.

Note: A short story inspired by the earth tremor scenes in _Andre's Horrible Girl_ (season 3, episode 6).

 **Forward**

The crust of the Earth, the lithosphere, is divided into fifteen major tectonic plates. These plates float atop the viscous upper mantle, the asthenosphere, in a slow ballet of growing, colliding, scraping, climbing over or diving under each other.

The movement is so slow, it makes stellar movement seem hyperactive.

The relative motion of the plates create certain types of boundary. These are convergent, divergent or transform boundaries.

Convergent boundaries occur when two or more plates collide, causing one plate to dive under the other and become remelted into the thick, almost tar-like mantle. One example is the Indian Plate sliding under the Eurasian Plate, creating the Himalayas - which are still growing at a slow, steady rate. Another is the Pacific Plate plunging under the Filipino Plate. One consequence of these tectonic movements are often volcanoes (Japan, the Philippines, the Cascade Mountains of the Pacific Northwest) and earthquakes (California, Alaska, Central America, and Japan). In short, the Pacific Ring of Fire, for a prime example.

Divergent boundaries are the location of plates sliding apart. The Mid-Atlantic Ridge is such a boundary. There, the North and South American Plates move west away from the Eurasian and African Plates as the Atlantic seafloor grows. Growth is between just under a half inch to slightly more than one and a half inches per year – about the speed of fingernail growth.

Transform boundaries are the areas where plates slide, or more often, grind against each other. The best, most famous example is the boundary between the North American Plate and the Pacific Plate. There, the Pacific Plate is moving northwest while the North American Plate is moving to the southwest. The rate of slippage along the fault line ranges between one and a third to one and a half inches a year. This is the legendary San Andreas fault

Oddly,one of the strongest earthquake in American recorded history was southeastern Missouri, in the central Midwest region of North America - the middle of the North American Plate. A series of earthquakes along the New Madrid Fracture System in 1811 and 1812 changed the landscape of the region, caused the Mississippi River to flow upstream, rang church bells in the Carolinas and toppled chimneys in Philadelphia, nearly a thousand miles away. This fault is an ancient fracture – over 750 million years old, leftover from the breakup of the ancient supercontinent Rodinia.

The Richter Scale, used to measure earthquakes, was developed by Charles Francis Richter and Beno Gutenberg at the California Institute of Technology in the early 1950s. Based on this system, magnitude 1 would equal the detonation of four hundred and eighty grams of TNT. Each whole step up (from one to two or two to three) the scale increases the magnitude by a factor of ten. The San Fernando (or Sylmar) Earthquake in 1971 was magnitude 6.6, equal to one hundred and twenty kilotons of TNT. The Northridge Quake of 1994 was magnitude 6.7, one hundred and seventy kilotons. The 1811 – 1812 New Madrid Earthquakes estimated to be between 7.0 and 8.1 (four hundred and eighty kilotons up to twenty-one megatons) making those four quakes (with accompanying aftershocks) the strongest in the continental United States east of the Rockies

Relevant to this account, there are two areas where the relative plate movements along the San Andreas hang up causing a constant, slow build of pressure. One in northern California near the San Francisco Bay area which caused the famous 1906 San Francisco Earthquake. Based on remaining evidence, that tags in at 8.0 – fifteen megatons of TNT. Just under a century later, the 1989 Frisco Quake (officially known as the Loma Prieta Earthquake) was 6.9.

Oddly, a lot of the damage in the city was an area built up on landfill of rubble from the 1906 quake. And, with San Francisco the National League's team in that year's World Series, vying with the Oakland Athletics, this was the first major quake recorded on film. All major networks had teams on site and managed to record the effects of the quake at Candlestick Park.

The Anchorage Earthquake, also known as the Good Friday Quake, of 1964 was a magnitude 9.3, nine hundred and fifty megatons. (For comparison, the strongest nuclear device ever detonated, the Soviets' Tsar Bomba Hydrogen Test in Siberia, created seismic waves equivalent to a magnitude 8.35, roughly fifty megatons. The Hiroshima atom bomb, Little Boy, was a fifteen kilotons equivalent to a magnitude 6.0,.)

Most seismic events in Southern California, while numerous and of varying magnitudes, haven't been nearly as severe as the Anchorage, New Madrid or the San Francisco Earthquakes.

Not yet.

* * *

 **1 The Earth Moved**

Timing is everything for some. When the quake hit, there were still several students out around the Asphalt Café as the lunch period neared it's end. Among these were Jade West and Tori Vega.

Jade and Tori were in the middle of yet another argument which was so heated, the others in their group of friends headed back into Hollywood Arts early.

"I know what I saw Vega!"

"Damn it Jade! It wasn't me! I don't even watch the MAM…"

"MMA! Mixed Mar…"

The argument was cut short when they felt the earth move under them. A quick thump then a deep grinding noise as everything started to shake.

"EARTHQUAKE!" Tori yelled.

"GET UNDER THE TABLE, VEGA!" Jade called as she dragged her frenemy down with her under the round, metal table.

The roar of the quake was louder than a freight train. Combined with the sound of shattering glass, cracking concrete and falling masonry, the screams of the girls was practically non-existent. The pair held each other, screaming as the ground shook and bounced under them.

Each girl was wrapped in an eternity of fear. Death, or even major injury, suddenly loomed large in their individual, formerly safe lives.

The quaking seemed to go on for hours as debris fell onto the table top, ringing in their ears like a giant cymbal.

In actuality, the seismic action only lasted forty-nine seconds. The source was the Santa Monica Fault which passed under the Hollywood Hills – the epicenter just north of the school with the focus several thousand feet below the surface.

Even as the seismic waves began to ebb, a louder clang deafened the girls as a small part of the school fell on the metal table top, temporarily deafening Tori and Jade.

As the quake finally died, Tori and Jade slowly, carefully crawled out from under the partially crushed table. Except for the ringing in their ears, it was strangely silent in the aftermath. Almost funereal.

They both were staring at the far wall of the school parking lot behind the café. The wall was gone. Beyond, the street was in chaos – cars crashed into each other or other objects. A fire hydrant was now a fountain of water. Directly behind the spray, the Jet Brew was on fire – probably due to the car that had crashed through the front windows.. And down the cross street, another fountain arced up through a sedan that had rammed a fire hydrant. Nearby, sparks showed where live wires were lying on the streets.

The low story building near the school looked fairly intact – mainly shattered windows. A couple of those windows had frames that had been twisted to a noticeable degree. But these were new buildings built under post-Sylmar earthquake code requirements. But that didn't necessarily protect the structures from fire.

Even so, the CVS Pharmacy on the other corner was in flames which, before their eyes, spread to the Kinko's next door.

It was all strangely silent though.

Slowly, Tori realized her hearing was extremely muffled. As if from far, far away, screams, car, fire and other alarms and even old air raid sirens could be vaguely discerned. This was a common, disconcerting affect for soldiers and civilians caught in a blast zone experience.

Barely heard, a voice from behind Tori caught her attention.

"tori, are you alright?'

Tori turned to see Jade trying to talk to her but she shook her head. Pointing at her ears, she said, "i can't hear you very well."

"what?"

Tori realized Jade had the same problem. She leaned in and yelled, "i can't hear you very well. Must've been that loud bang."

They turned as one from the street to the table. The top was crumpled by a large piece of the upper performance platform that overshadowed part of the Café. Their gazes moved up to the platform. Immediately in front of them, aside from the piece that almost crushed their table, it was still intact but further back, it had collapsed onto the shaded dining area.

Then they looked at their school. Even though it had been built under the same earthquake codes as the relatively intact buildings along the street, the upper level was gone. It had pancaked onto the ground floor which, fortunately, held the load. For the moment.

Slowly, as their hearing returned, the sounds of alarms, nearby and further away, mixed with the more human sounds of cries, shouts and screams, was becoming more strident.

Suddenly, Jade realized she was hearing screams from inside the school.

Tori heard those cries too.

They turned to each other and silently knew what the other was thinking. Several students and some adults staggered out. Many were bleeding and all were covered in dust, disguising their identities. Both girls were reminded of the survivors of the World Trade Center attack in their contemporary history class.

Without another second wasted, they moved to the collapsed platform. The only sign of anyone there was a bloody hand and arm draped over a slab of concrete with a steel support beam pinning it to the concrete. Tori gasped at the sight and even Jade was taken aback in shock.

Taking a deep breath to steady herself, Tori knelt to feel for a non-existent pulse, Jade surveyed the pile and called out, "ANYONE HEAR ME? ANYONE TRAPPED?"

Tori stood and shook her head. Sadly she noted, "He's gone…"

A few more bloodied, dirty students staggered out of the school doors – dazed, shocked expressions the common factor.

Again, without words, they agreed on their next move – into the school to look for their friends.

The air was full of dust and the ceiling of the entry hall sagged in several places. The stairwell was completely blocked by debris. Emergency lights, the ones still working, cast weird, shifting patterns across the remains of the first floor.

Down one of the corridors, the groaning sound of support beams, straining against the unexpected, localized weight, echoed. The floor was littered with books, papers, purses, backpacks, satchels, musical instruments, electronic devices and both small and large chunks of the ceiling with pulverized sections of the murals that had been painted above the lockers.

Many of the lockers themselves had popped open, spilling more detritus across the floors. Jade's was intact but Tori's, across the atria, had exploded out. The electrically-wired door was nearly bent in half and across the hall, leaning against one of the lower lockers.

There were screams suddenly echoing out of the Black Box. These were matched by others from the remains of the first floor of the school.

"That's Cat!" Jade shouted, recognizing the screaming voice.

Jade dashed to the theater door, followed closely by Tori. The doors were closed and, as Jade quickly discovered, jammed by the shifted structure.

Tori gripped the handle above Jade's hands and they pulled hard on the stuck door.

"Help me, Vega!"

"I AM!"

The door finally shifted, grating against the rubble on the floor. It was open a few inches. Jade tried to push herself through the door. She could get an arm through but her frame was too large.

Jade muttered, "Like that damned hamburger!" She and Tori began to tug again. The gap slowly widened before movement stopped. It was still too narrow for either of the girls.

"Let's try the other door," Tori suggested, realizing the narrow gap was enough to allow the other door to open. Like many double doors, this could only be done once the right side door was opened.

They again yanked and pulled desperately on the other door to no avail. Until…

The second door gave way as the hinges broke off the door jamb. Suddenly, Tori and Jade were on the floor with the heavy door on top of them. In any other circumstance, it would have been hilarious but now the stakes were too high to allow frivolity.

Pushing the door off, they scrambled to their feet and dashed into the theater.

From the emergency lights, they saw the wreckage of the main catwalk blocking their way into the large, relatively empty room. Spotlights, burst sandbags and other equipment littered the floor. The far wall had collapsed inward, exposing what was left of the backstage dressing and makeup area.

"Cat!" Jade called out.

"Jade? Help me! I'm over here!"

Jade started to climb over the tangled metal. Even as she followed the Goth, Tori called, "Jade! Be careful!"

From the pile of rubble, they heard a pained whimper. Tori came up and helped Jade up and over the walkway after her skirt was snagged on a piece of jagged railing.

The shadows cast by the bent pillars and drifting dust threw moving pools of darkness across the rubble. Cat was lying in one of those areas of shadow, covered by broken cinder blocks from the waist down. There was a small gash on the back of her head that was bleeding lightly, caking the dirty white-gray dust covering her faux red hair..

"Cat! Are you alright?" Jade suddenly realized how stupid that sounded. "I mean, are you hurt bad? Can you feel your feet?"

The girl was sobbing but managed to say, "I think so… But it hurts too bad. I can't move. I…"

They started to shift the blocks off Cat, Jade saying, "We'll get you out. You'll be okay…"

Tori spoke up, "Yeah, Cat. We'll have you out in a minute…"

Within minutes, most of the blocks and fragments were moved and Tori gasped. Cat's left leg was exposed and she could see a horrid gash along the back of Cat's thigh. The torn jeans were sodden with her blood.

Tori whispered, "Jade, she's bleeding badly. I don't know if…" She paused and recalled her first aid training – her father made Tori and Trina take extended lessons a year before. Fortunately, it didn't look like an arterial injury. The blood was flowing but not spurting. "We have to get her out and try to stop the bleeding."

Exasperated, Jade growled, "So? What the fuck are you waiting for?"

Rather than reply, Tori resumed freeing Cat, Jade following suit.

Soon enough, Cat was free. Tori pulled off her blouse, leaving her in a tank top. "Cat. This'll hurt but I have to do it."

In a small voice, the girl replied, "Kay-kay."

Tori pressed her shirt where the worst of bleeding seemed to be welling and held it tight.

"Jade, I need something to hold this. Your belt or boot laces or…"

Pulling her belt off, Jade said, "Why not your belt?"

"See me here? See me holding this?"

Jade tried to slide the belt under Cat's leg. Tori eased up on the pressure so Jade could lift the leg enough to get the strap under and to the other side. In seconds, she had it tight across the makeshift bandage. Tori yanked it tighter, causing Cat to cry out.

"Sorry, Cat. I need to make this tight to hold my shirt in place.

"kay-kay…" Cat replied in an even quieter, wavering voice.

Once Tori felt she had sufficiently stemmed the blood, Tori gripped Cat's foot.

"Cat? Can you feel this?"

"Yeah… A little."

Tori pulled off her other tennis shoe and gripped Cat's right foot. "And this?"

"Uh, yeah… I can."

"Thank God!"

Jade was addled by the rapid course of events. "What's happening?"

"I don't think there was any spinal or nerve damage. I mean nothing severe."

Everything started to rock again. Tori pulled Jade down over Cat then covered Jade with her own body.

Fortunately, the first aftershock was small and short-lived – what would've been a barely noticeable tremor before lunch. Still, loosened ceiling fragments fell onto them.

As soon as it ended, Jade announced, "We have to get Cat and ourselves out of here!"

"Beck…" Cat muttered. "Beck was helping me with my lines for the play…"

"Okay, Cat. Take it easy. We'll get him," Jade declared. Even after the last, final break-up, she still cared for the Canadian and meant every word.

Tori agreed, "We'll find him. Don't worry."

They managed to move Cat away from the rubble and then Jade climbed over the catwalk. The quake caused the walkway to be twisted as it fell. This left a small gap between the warped metal and the floor. Tori slid Cat under that and Jade pulled her on from the other side. Soon Cat was in the doorway – the safest place in any earthquake.

Then Tori said, "Stay with her. Keep her talking. Don't let her fall asleep if she starts to not off. That hit on the head may have concussed her."

"Wait! Where are you going?"

"To get Beck!"

Tori returned to the fallen wall. Guessing the scene they were working on, from Cat and Beck's earlier discussion at lunch, Tori went to the right of where Cat had been trapped and began to move the cinderblock chunks and shards. Before long, she saw the red plaid shirt Beck was wearing that day. Guessing, she moved over to try to uncover his head. If he was okay, she wanted to make sure he could breath more freely.

Far too soon, Tori pulled off a nearly intact cinder block and saw that her work was in vain. A large piece of one of the blocks had crushed his skull.

Tori sat back, shock on her face as she choked back a cry. Tears weren't as easily stopped. She quietly cried over the death of one of her best friends.

"Tori! Did you find him?" Jade called from the door.

"I… I…don't…" She shook her head, "Jade, I'm…sorry but…"

She was interrupted by twin cries of anguish from her friends. She squeezed her eyes shut and forced herself to her feet.

Climbing over the metal barrier, she came up to Jade and Cat. She reached out to Jade only to be rebuffed.

"We don't have time to grieve, Vega. We have to get Cat out."

Tori nodded, "We can grieve in our hearts though. We can remember him in our thoughts."

They got Cat out to the parking lot which had even more survivors from the wrecked school. Laying Cat down among the other injured that had been saved, they looked at each other.

"I'm going back. I have to see if I can find Andre."

"And Robbie," Cat spoke up.

Jade stared at the singer. "Tori… Don't… Please be careful."

"I will. I'll be back in a few minutes."

Tori walked back into the ruin that had been their high school. She glanced up at the wreckage-blocked stairway. Heading into the dim corridor leading towards the dancing classes, Tori recalled both Andre and Robbie had another, advanced ballet class after lunch.

She reached the door of the ballet studio. It was open and she was able to enter. There were two bodies near the windows. For a horrifying second, she thought at least another one of her friends was dead too.

Getting nearer the bodies, she saw one was a chubby blonde guy – a shrugger from one of Sikowitz' class. The other was a freshman girl.

Moving further into the room, she turned around scanning the room, seeing the wall-length mirror was shattered with shards of silver-coated glass across the floor. Then she turned and saw someone trying to pull someone else out of the room.

"ANDRE?!"

"I know it's not Grandma. Must be Tori Vega!" came the strained reply.

Tori couldn't help but smile. "We're in the middle of all this and you crack wise?"

"Crack wise? You still watch too many old movies on that Turner channel," Andre chuckled before groaing.

Andre and his friend were about halfway towards the door from the rear of the studio. Andre was attempting to drag an unconscious Robbie out of the room. It was hard for the tunes-smith. His right arm was obviously broken in at least two places. As she neared them, Tori saw where the broken end of one of his forearm bones had torn through the skin. The blood was still oozing and creating rivulets in the dust caked on him.

He lowered an unconscious Robbie to a sitting position against the wall. He then slumped next to his friend, mindful of his fracture.

"Tori, help Andre. I got Robbie," Jade said from the door. Her voice startled Tori for a moment before she felt relief flow through her that she didn't have to help her two friends by herself.

"But Cat?"

"The school nurse is looking her over," Jade said as she heaved Robbie over her shoulder in a fireman's carry. "Don't waste time, Vega. I don't like the looks of that ceiling."

Nodding even though Jade was already out and down the corridor, Tori helped Andre to his feet, Tori started to lead him out of the school ruin when another aftershock struck.

Andre twisted and pushed Tori away towards the door in an attempt to save his friend. She hit the wall even as it fell onto her. The ceiling fell on top of that.

Before a slab of the ceiling plaster crashed onto his head, Andre yelled, "TORI!"


	2. Chapter 2 Trapped!

Disclaimer: _Victorious_ and its characters are the property of Schneider's Bakery and Nickelodeon. This story is for entertainment purposes only and no money exchanged hands. No copyright infringement is intended. The original characters, situations, and story are the property of the author. No profit is intended or wanted for this story.

* * *

 **2 Trapped!**

Tori slowly became aware of…nothing but darkness. And extreme weight bearing down on her midsection.

 _What the hell? Why is everything so dark? And where…_ Realization turned thoughts into panicked words, "Oh my God!"

Tori screamed for help, "HELP ME! I'M TRAPPED UNDER…HERE! PLEASE! JADE! HELP ME!"

The girl started to really panic but her thrashing around was curtailed by the wall and ceiling atop her prone body. Tori's left forearm was pinned under her by her body. Her right hand was free but only felt grit and stones. Lifting it only a few inches, Tori's knuckles scraped across the cracked surface.

"HELP!"

Her feet had some freedom of movement. Tori decided she had to help herself. She pushed with her toes and pulled with her free arm. She screamed as something dug into her butt cheek. At the same time, she realized the weight on her was heaviest on her midsection.

The trapped singer became aware of her many aches and pains. The worst was her ass but there was something digging into her left leg. Sucking in a deep breath, she felt a sharp, intense pain in her chest. _Must be one of the ribs near my diaphragm. Gotta remember not to laugh._

That non-sequitur comment brought a small smile to her face for a moment. Her panic was gone as quickly as it came. Now she had to formulate some kind of plan to get out.

 _I can feel some faint trace of a breeze… Thank God, at least air doesn't seem to be a problem. And I'm clear-headed, so nothing hit me on the head. Well, I think I'm clear-headed. How would I know? Do people with brain damage know they've been injured? Or would they think the same thing?_

 _I guess it's on me to get out. I hope that whatever it is poking into my ass isn't too deep…_

Gritting her teeth, the girl tried to lift her torso to free her now-numb left arm. The fact that it had fallen asleep compounded the problem. Fortunately her upper arm was still 'awake' and, even with the limited space, she managed to pull her arm out. The usual pins and needles sensation raced up and down her forearm and left hand.

Finally, Tori managed to pull it out enough to allow the needed blood flow. As the tingling sensation increased, she cried out in surprise. Fortunately the sensation quickly passed and she was able to move the still slightly numb arm.

Soon, she managed to move it up alongside it's partner. "Now, we're getting somewhere."

With two hands free, she started to pull herself forward. Using her toes again for pushing, she moved an inch, maybe two, before the thing pushing into her asscheek stopped her again with a scream.

That scream was suddenly drowned by the roar of another aftershock. More rubble rained down outside of Tori's impromptu prison adding more weight to the debris on top of her.

Even as the tremor passed, she was crying out at the intensified pain from the object pushing into her butt.

Worse yet, in a few minutes, she realized the barely perceptible stream of air that she had felt earlier was gone. Now Tori had no idea how long her air could hold out. Not long, given the space she was in.

 _I'm going to die. In the ballet studio, I'm going to die. I don't even like ballet. Damn you Andre! Why did you have to take this stupid class? You told me it was a sausage fest except for your hot French teacher – what's her name? – and the poor sole girl hit on by all her hormonal classmates. I'm sorry, Andre. It's not your fault. Whoever decided to build a city here in earthquake heaven – they're to blame!_

 _And it hurts so much…_

 _NO! I'm not giving up! Even if my ass gets shredded, I'm gonna get out of here. Or die tryi…_

She didn't want to complete that thought and, instead, started to pull herself free.

She could feel her flesh tear as well as the material of her jeans. The pain was excruciating! Tori knew she had to ignore it if she wanted to survive. Warm wetness flowed down her hip and pooled under her but she didn't stop. White hot agony filled her mind but she kept pulling herself forward.

Suddenly, the intrusive pain stopped. Her body was still in agony from the wound but she had dragged herself far enough that the whatever-it-was had pulled free from her body.

Then came the heart-breaking discovery. She suddenly had no where to go. Whatever cut off the faint breeze also cut off any hope of escape.

Tori's face fell forward onto her arms and she began to sob as despair filled her. She was going to die in her high school.

And the air continued to grow bad as she used the free oxygen-nitrogen mix, replacing it with carbon dioxide…

* * *

After the latest shock, Jade toted Robbie out to the Asphalt Café and managed to find a space near Cat to lay him down.

"Jade?"

"Cat?"

"Is Robbie okay?"

"I don't know Kitty-cat. He's breathing and doesn't seem to be hurt too bad. I'd bet he'll be okay."

"What about Andre?"

"Tori's bringing him. He's got a broken arm."

"Jade?"

"Yes, Cat?"

"Where's Tori?"

Jade quickly rose and looked at the ruin that was Hollywood Arts. Where was Vega?

"Cat, I gotta go! Hey, you! Shrugger! You hurt bad?"

"Uh, my name's Dave."

"Whatever! You hurt?"

"Um, no…"

"Come with me!"

* * *

Tori was crying in the pitch darkness. She knew she was using up her air but she didn't care. She was going to die anyway.

 _God, why did I agree to fill in for Trina at the showcase? And why did I agree to go to this damned school?_

 _Trina! Mom! Dad! I won't even get to say goodbye. If they're still alive. Oh God! What if they all died? I love you all! Mom, if you and Gary did… I don't care. Trina? As irritating as you are, you've been there for me when I really needed someone. Oh and Dad! I've been so proud of you. I hope you were even a fraction as proud of me. Please be alive! Be there when I can't! I love you all._

 _Beck, I guess I'll be with you soon. We can go on another opposite date. I don't think Jade'd mind._

 _Jade… What can I say to you? You've been a mystery to me since I came here but you helped me, even if you won't admit it. And I tried to help you too. I guess, since you'll never hear this, I always felt something more than friendship. But I was too afraid to act on it. And, most of the time, you were with Beck. But that night you came over to make pizza… Even with the disaster you caused with the dough, it was one of the best nights of my life! Just hanging out like that. I had fantasies of our lives like that night… Now, I guess it will just be a dream…_

 _Please God! I don't want to die!_

* * *

"Tori! Tori!" Jade yelled as she made her way to the dance studios. She didn't bother with the other rooms like she had before – several were full of the second floor anyway. She went straight to the ballet studio with the shrugger, Dave.

For some stupid reason, while she was scared for Tori and wanted to find her, part of her mind kept playing part of an old Cheech and Chong routine. 'Dave's not here, man,' kept echoing in her mind.

"Tori!"

A weak reply came to her, "Jade?"

"Andre?"

She came to the entrance to the ballet studio. Andre was lying halfway out of the doorway. One leg was pinned by rubble.

"Andre! Where's Tori?!"

"The tremor hit and I tried to push her out of the way. I didn't want her to die for me."

Jade nodded but her anxiety, on a scale of one to ten, was at eleven.

Dave started to free Andre's leg. Once it was clear, he saw the damage.

"His leg's broken."

"Oh man…"

"Andre, we'll get you out. But what about Tori?" The reassurance she gave Andre helped Jade realize that the events of the past twenty minutes had changed her but that didn't matter. All that mattered was Tori. In an uncharacteristically soft voice, she asked, "Where is Tori?"

"Ba… Back there…"

Jade stepped over him, "Get him out of here and then get some help, Shru… Dave."

Dave nodded. Whether it was fear of Jade or just his natural desire to be helpful, he went along with her.

Jade entered the studio. Tori was not there. "Tori? TORI?!"

As Dave helped Andre limp down the hall, Jade noted a large mound of debris inside the door. The wall had been stripped down to the now-warped steel beams with fragments of wall board and plaster clinging to the metal, and the sagging ceiling was bare of any cover – just the steel cross beams with fragments of concrete attached to the rebar. The back of the studio was now full of debris from the second floor.

Kneeling at the mound by the door, Jade started to remove the wreckage when another shock hit.

Falling back, Jade saw one of the beams fall across the mound as more fell on the section nearest the door. A piece of rebar glanced off her skull and that was the last she knew.

* * *

 _Its getting hard to breathe… I think the air is running out. Oh God, I'm going to suffocate! Please God, I know I'm not the best Catholic but I'm a good person. Well, a decent person. And…_

Tori was seeing black spots in front of her. They were blacker than the inky darkness that trapped her.

 _Getting hard to concencrate…I mean consecrate. Uh, that's wrong. Hard day's night? No,_ Hardcastle and McCormick. _Hardrock…hard to… Think! I can't think about…_

Her lungs were straining for more oxygen. Unfortunately, more and more of the oxygen was now bonded with carbon.

 _Mom, Dad, Trina, I love you…_

* * *

Dave came out, helping Andre limp on his good leg. Unfortunately, the best way they found was for him to hold by his broken arm. At least he tried to grip the upper arm, above the breaks.

Seeing them come out of the school, Cat called from where she lay, "Andre! Andre!"

In a strained voice, Andre said, "Hey, Little Red… Oooh! Easy man!"

"Sorry, Andre. It's hard to…"

"S'okay. Just let me lay down near…"

Andre was on the cracked pavement near Cat and Robbie. He smiled through the grime on his face, "Thanks man. You're okay, Dave."

"Where're Jade and Tori?"

"Tori was getting me out but one of those aftershocks hit… Jade found me and stayed to get Tori."

"But why aren't they out here yet?"

* * *

Consciousness returned as the surface beneath her moved slightly. _What the hell? Why can't I move my leg?_

Jade slowly opened her eyes to a dust-choked view of the remains of the wall in front of her. More debris had fallen onto the mound she was laying on. Moving her head was excruciating but she manged to look back to see a length of rebar, with a large block of concrete at the end, across her ankle. Flexing that joint, she felt no real pain.

 _That's a good sign, right? If it was damaged, I'd either feel it or nothing… Right? Who the fuck am I asking? My guardian demon?_

Jade had given up on angels a few years before. The only angel she knew was probably buried under her.

The beam wasn't pressing down and Jade was able to pull her foot free. As she tried to stand, the room began to spin so she settled back down. Reaching up to the back of her head, she felt wetness. Bringing her hand before her, she saw red.

"Oh man… That's all I need!"

She tried to stand again and managed it this time. She glanced up to the ceiling. The remaining cross beams were bowing low above her and it was even worse leading back of the room where the upper floor rubble had pushed through. "That doesn't look good…"

Jade tried to start clearing the rock in the mound. Smaller slabs moved easily. Then she hit a larger chunk. Straining, she tried to move it up and, hopefully, over. Then her head started to swim again and she had to choke back the urge to vomit her lunch.

"I'm not…getting sick. I've seen things…real life things…that would make people hurl. But…I am not getting…sick." Every pause was caused by her forcing the urge down.

Finally succeeding in calming her stomach, Jade looked around for something to help her move the concrete slab from the ceiling.

She quickly searched for something, anything, to help her move that slab. All she could find were blocks of building material, too large (or too small) steel beams and some splintered wood.

Suddenly, Jade froze. "Of course! What an idiot!"

She returned to the mound and grabbed the rebar that had trapped her foot It was heavier that she though but Jade was determined to manage it. Slamming one end on the floor, Jade managed to get rid of a lot of the concrete at that end.

Looking closely in the dim, dusty light, Jade saw an opening. She jammed the end of the rebar in and pulled down.

Nothing.

Jade pulled again. And again. Then she lay over the beam, all her weight on the rebar. The metal started to bend but Jade could feel a slight grinding as the slab shifted slightly.

Elated, she bounced on the bar several times. Each time, the slab shifted a little more. Another bounce and the slab slid off to the side.

"WOO-HOO!" Jade yelled, completely out of character. The rubble beneath was, for the most part, smaller and more manageable. She started in tossing wall and ceiling fragments behind her.

She stopped and stared at a briefcase-sized piece of concrete with a piece of rebar jutting out. What gave Jade pause was the fresh blood on the end.

"TORI!?" Jade yelled. Through the small gap, she saw blood-stained, faded blue denim. "VEGA!"

With renewed hope, Jade pulled at more of the rubble, throwing it, or rolling the larger pieces, off the girl buried underneath. Jade's black-painted nails were quickly broken, split and even partly pulled loose. She didn't care.

Finally Jade could see Tori. The singer would not respond to shouts, slaps or pokes. Jade managed to get a firm grip of Tori's arms and began to lift her out. There was a hangup somewhere – probably in the uncleared portion across her middle.

"Damn!" Jade muttered, before she heaved a large, narrow slab up and off Tori. Beneath that was some metal framework that had pinned Tori. It also exposed the torn jeans and ravaged posterior of the prone girl.

"Oh, Tori…" Jade muttered when she saw the injury. "At least it's not bleeding too badly."

Wrenching at the support fragment across Tori and managed to pull it up enough to enable her to pull the unconscious girl out of her almost-tomb.

Getting Tori out, Jade had to pause. Her head was swimming again. Taking several deep breaths, her equilibrium settled. She sat next to Tori, psyching herself up to carry Tori out of the building.

Then she realized Tori wasn't breathing.

"Oh my God! Tori!"

Ignoring the injury, Jade rolled Tori onto her back. Trying to remember her own CPR training, Jade leaned over and pressed her mouth to Tori's, blowing air into her lungs.

 _C'mon Vega! Breathe, damn it!_ Jade blew air into Tori again and again. Then she started compressions for a few seconds before breathing hard into Tori. "Come on, you fucking irritating bitch! Breathe, goddamnit!"

She continued her impromptu CPR, whispering, "I can't lose you… Please Tori…"

Just as Jade started to blow into Tori's mouth again, Tori coughed twice. She was breathing again on her own!

"Oh thank you, God! Or Allah or Buddha… Whoever!" Jade said, looking up at the sagging ceiling. Then she looked at Tori, "Hey, Vega! Vega! VEGA!"

 _Damn. Gotta haul her ass out of her after all…_

Jade knelt next to Tori, took more deep breaths, then pulled Tori over her shoulder. Another fireman's carry.

Then Jade tried to rise. She almost fell twice but managed to get to her feet with Tori draped over her shoulder. "God, I got a Vega stole…"

Staggering out of the room, she managed to navigate the halls, even as she felt on the verge of collapse. Drawing on a reservoir of strength, Jade slowly made her way out of the school to the café.

Jade went to the far side of the open area, away from anything that might fall, and set Tori down. She practically fell alongside her rescuee.

The next hour was a blur. Jade tried to stay awake, given her own head injury, and stayed by Tori as much as she could. Dave had looted the roach coach, figuring even Festus would understand. He gave Jade several bottles of water.

Jade drank one bottle on her own. Then she took off her flannel shirt, soaked part of it and squeezed drops into Tori's mouth, trying to keep her hydrated.

Several times, helicopters roared by overhead. The uninjured who stayed to help, and some of the less injured, tried to flag the choppers down.

Finally, the first, more local, but battered, National Guard units arrived at the school and began to triage the injured. Unfortunately, more than a few had passed away from injuries since the quake. Fortunately, none of the survivors of their gang had succumbed. Although Robbie was close and evaced ahead of most of the students. Cat was taken at the same time. Andre had managed to get on the next chopper.

Tori was next, due to her broken rib, perforated butt and especially the blow to the head. Thanks to her own head injury, Jade was able to go with Tori.

They were loaded onto a stake truck (with the sides removed) and were headed further up into the Hills.

Jade managed to sit up a bit to see what the rest of the area looked like. As with the area around their school, it was a mix-up of apparently intact buildings with others, even next door, totaled. A couple of familiar office towers were exact opposites – one mostly intact, but for the shattered windows. The other, twin tower was a collapsed pile of rubble.

Soon, they pulled into Griffith Park and a tent community set up by the National Guard.

Tori's stretcher was lifted off and taken to one of the surgical tents. With the help of a soldier not much older than she or Tori, Jade was led into a different tent.

Before she went under the anesthesia, she made the doctor promise she would be with Tori afterwards.


	3. Chapter 3 Aftershocks

Disclaimer: _Victorious_ and its characters are the property of Schneider's Bakery and Nickelodeon. This story is for entertainment purposes only and no money exchanged hands. No copyright infringement is intended. The original characters, situations, and story are the property of the author. No profit is intended or wanted for this story.

* * *

 **3 Aftershocks**

The days following the Great Los Angeles Earthquake were hectic and seemed to blur together into a chaotic memory of sights and sounds that didn't always seem to track. Aftershocks, National Guard troops, doctors and nurses, the smell of burning…everything, endless helicopter fly-overs, moans, screams, orders barked, sirens, dying car alarms, roars and screeches from the nearby zoo – all combined into a surreal sensory overload.

All Jade knew for sure was that her head still hurt and Tori was still unconscious. But she had been assured they were both going to be okay.

They were in a large open Army tent filled with cots for recovery patients. There were several other tents in the encampment on the fairways of Harding Golf Course in Griffith Park just south of the zoo. As the weather was mild, the sides had been rolled up. They could easily be dropped and tied down if the weather took a turn for the worse.

Jade had raised hell when the National Guard and, later, the medics tried to separate her from her old nemesis. "I will cut anyone who tries to make me go somewhere else. It might not be today but I promise I will track you down and…"

Even the older, battle-hardened, veteran Guardsmen froze before Jade's heated glare.

The doctor who worked on her, a lanky man with straight black hair, came up and broke up the face-off. His blood-spattered white coat had his name stitched on the right breast – B. F. Pierce. Jade recognized him and now knew the name of the man who worked on her when she arrived here.

"Hey guys! Let's put her near her friend, okay?" Jade bit back on her standard response as the doctor went on, "No need for needless bloodshed. This isn't Compton, after all."

That last hit the men in fatigues hard. Rival gangbangers, in a similar relief camp in Compton, ended up showing how extreme their stupidity was by shooting at each other, killing themselves, a few survivors, two medics and a Guardsman, wounding even more. There were similar, but fortunately not as fatal, stories from other relief camps in other gang hot spots.

Tori had been brought in, oxygen being fed to her through a cannula as Pierce checked her over. She was laying on her stomach due to the damage to her buttocks. As he looked checked what would be soon known as the infamous butt wound, he muttered, "I don't think you'll be doing the old soft shoe any time soon."

He checked the wound in the back of her head, the scratches, scrapes and some deeper, stitched gashes on her left arm and leg. Nodding at his observations, Pierce turned the nurse who took charge of Jade, she checked her bandaged hands as he examined the head wound. Unfortunately with no anesthesia – that was reserved for initial surgical cases, and the most extreme emergency situations – it hurt more than Jade expected. She refused to cry out though.

Jade had several stitches on the back of her skull, a major league headache, but no apparent brain injury. The lack of severity combined with her aching skull led to the confrontation with the relief helpers who wanted her in a tent for ambulatory patients.

What she would later discover was the shaved area on her scalp – no one dared after her earlier diatribes on any other thing that came up. When she did learn about, needless to say, she was less than happy.

She got a cot next to Tori, with a threadbare blanket and no pillow. For two days and nights, she tried to sleep there but the continual background sounds accompanied by the shocks as well as taking the time to reseat the cannula in Tori's nostrils when the unconscious girl moved. All this and anxiety about friends and family kept her from getting a full night's rest. As a result, she managed cat naps of varying length. But fatigue and irritation was slowly building up.

The third day, Jade nodded off only to snap awake. She blearily saw the stained, dirty blue of the LAPD. "Jade…"

"Mr. Vega…? How long have you been here?"

"About twenty minutes. I can't take much more time." He smiled tightly, "How are you doing?"

"I'm okay. Tori is…"

"I think she'll be fine. She woke up a few minutes ago," David said with more than a trace of relief in his voice.

Jade shot up, the pain in her head ignored. "She did? Tori? Can you hear me?"

David calmed Jade down, "She fell asleep after she asked about you."

"Me? Why?"

"Well, why are you here with her? Why did you threaten the staff and the guardsmen to be here?" David replied with a knowing smile.

"Um…"

"She'll be fine Jade. You got to her in time and…" He smiled as he wiped his eyes, streaking the dirt on his face. In a small voice, he said, "I can never thank you enough."

Jade then really looked at the forty-something man for the first time. His left arm was in a now-gray sling. His far-from-fresh uniform blouse was torn in two places. His dirty, navy blue slacks lacked a knee on the left pant leg and the right inner seam was open halfway up from his ankle to his knee. There were scattered rust-red, dried blood stains as well. He had several days' worth of five o'clock shadow and a couple of bruises that she could see. Beyond that, his face showed more than traces of the ever-present dust and even smudges from also ever-present smoke – they emphasized the wrinkles in his face, making him look much older than he really was.

"What happened with you?"

"I was in the lobby of the station house when the quake hit. This drunk was just brought in. He was something else. Bright red pants, a red patterned shirt and a big red hat, dancing like he didn't have a care in the world. It was hilarious. Claimed to be a sports writer from New York. I settled back to watch the floor show, sitting on the sill of an open window near the old coffee maker, when the first rumbles started. Even as I called out to the cops near me I…fell into the alley and cracked my arm on a dumpster."

"Like father, like daughter?" Jade said, unaware she spoke aloud. David simply laughed.

"That blood?"

"Mostly other people. Victims we tried to help, not always successfully." His eyes clouded for a moment, "We lost a lot of good people. And the drunk? He sobered up quick and became a big help. Medical training when he was in Desert Shield and Desert Storm."

"Why the uniform?"

"I always keep a back up at the station just in case. Command wanted all LAPD who had one available to wear a uniform so people would know who they can go to. Some of the combinations are hilarious – think Stan Laurel wearing Oliver Hardy's clothes.

"I actually managed to get mine on before I realized my arm was actually broken. Didn't even get a splint for most of the day. Just too much going on, even after the Guard mobilized…"

Jade continued to fire question, "What happened? I mean, I know the quake hit and the damned aftershocks. But…"

"The quake was originally declared a 7.9 but it's since been bumped up to a magnitude 8.4. The aftershocks have been clocked at a magnitude 7.1 to 7.7."

"And…?"

"Landslides in the Hills, the Valley and up to Malibu. Part of the southern coastline of the Palos Verde collapsed into the ocean near San Pedro. A tsunami, from a strong offshore tremblor, swamped a lot of the coastline from Santa Barbara down towards Dago. The tsunami rolled ashore all the way up to the Olympic Peninsula in Washington and down to Baja. Hawaii and other islands across the Pacific are on tsunami watch as well.

"Thanks to the tidal wave, Santa Monica, Venice, LAX, among other coastal areas, are in even worse shape than the rest of the Southland. Long Beach and the harbor area were partially spared by the Palos Verde Peninsula, fortunately. Actually the wave barely affected the shore line from Seal Beach north. The rest of the Orange County coastline is pretty bad.

"Downtown is a shambles – most of those quake-proof towers weren't… The skyline is seriously altered. It'll never be the same. Then the flooding…

"Whole sections of LA, as well as several towns in the Valley and the LA Basin are burnt out ruins. Gas explosions would set a house on fire, the winds throw sparks far and wide. Water mains are shattered so there's no water for the fire departments. The town goes up in smoke."

Jade cut in, "You mentioned flooding? The tsunami?"

David shook his head, "The Hollywood Reservoir dam collapsed in the fourth or fifth aftershock and flooded central Hollywood. Lot of people drowned. Fortunately, Hollywood Arts was evaced before that. I only hope all the survivors got out.

"The Silver Lake Reservoir dam also gave way, flooding the western areas of downtown.

"The subway tunnels and the freeways are collapsed along almost one hundred percent of their lengths.

"And there's the looting…" David sighed and shook his head, "You'd think after all the years I have behind the shield, I'd be used to man's inhumanity to himself…"

Something was naggin Jade. She snapped her fingers, "Earlier you said fortunately? About Long Beach?"

"Well, with LAX out of commission, we're stuck with the smaller airports like John Wayne, Long Beach – which is under threat from the oil well fires on Signal Hill - and others, for emergency flights. They can't handle the necessary volume of flights LAX could. So a lot of relief supplies are being flow into Carmel, Frisco and other coastal sites with both shipping and air access. Lindbergh Field in San Diego is still unavailable due to the tsunami, as I mentioned. Those supplies are slowly coming into the harbor and being ferried to various locations around town.

"More are being trucked across the desert from Vegas, Phoenix and Tucson. Edwards Air Force Base is finally able to accommodate flights as well, they had runways damaged by the tremors, including the one used by the Shuttles.

"There is some good news. Many of the off-shore oil rigs shut down operations as soon as the initial shock hit them. New safety measures is one rumor. There is a pipeline off Santa Barbara that did break open and an unknown amount of crude leaked into the Pacific.

"Better news: the National Guard was able to mobilize and deploy quickly. Marines from Camp Pendleton have been sent south to Dago, up to Orange County and here. The Air Force is flying in ground support for the supply flights. The Army is sending additional support. The Navy is standing by, but there's not a lot they can do."

Jade nodded, swallowed then finally, almost reluctantly, asked the burning question, "I…um… Trina? Mrs. Vega?"

"That's the best news. Trina left earlier that day with her mother for an audition in Vancouver. They're trying to get back home but flights are… Well, you know… Fortunately, I don't think they'll be allowed south of Carmel for the time being."

"Oh thank God," Jade replied with an audible sigh of relief. And she was stunned to realize she meant it. The feeling of relief was almost as big as what she felt at Tori's restored breathing in that ruined ballet studio. She might not like Trina but she was Tori's sister. Jade didn't want to have to tell Tori any bad news beyond what she already had to. And she already lost too many people she knew.

Little did she know, there was worse news on the horizon.

* * *

Eventually, duty called and David reluctantly stood to leave, saying, "I'm still on duty. The entire force in on the streets working with the Guard to protect people and quell the looting. Eighteen hours on, six off. Like a lot of cops with families, I kinda cheated by checking out the local relief camps until I found you two. I was so afraid when I checked the relief camps around the area with no sign of either of you. I even wasted half a day going to Northridge thanks to a false lead."

"Did you see Andre, Cat or Robbie?"

"Yes, they're in two other camps in the Hills. I can't tell you much beyond that though. Like I said, I was looking for Tori. Sorry Jade, but if I'd seen you and not Tori…"

She placed a calming hand on his good arm, "She's your daughter. I understand. "

Placing his hand on hers, giving it a little squeeze, David said, "Jade, I still can't thank you enough for saving my baby girl. I don't want to leave but..."

"Go. Help other people. I'll stay with Tori. Trust me, she'll be fine. I may not have my scissors but I managed to get a scalpel…"

"I don't want to know," David interrupted with an amused smile. Then he handed her a bulky phone with a thick antenna. "Here, this is one of the Army-issued satphones – satellite phones - we're using since cellular service is for shit now. Call me with any news or… " With a knowing wink, he said, "I grabbed an extra when we were issued these. No need for details…"

David gave her the direct number to his satphone, kissed her forehead then leaned over and did the same for his slumbering daughter, whispering, "I love you, Princess."

Uncharacteristically, Jade had tears in her eyes. Taking Tori's hand in hers, she said, "Your old man is really cool, Vega. Now wake up for me. Please…"

* * *

Jade had dozed off, her hand maintaining her grip with Tori's across the gap between cots. At some point, as she slept, Tori's hand slipped from hers. Jade woke up when Pierce came by to check on them.

"How are you feeling?"

"The headaches are better but I'm still tired."

"Shock from your injury. And the chaos around here. I'm not too worried. But let me do a simple test."

He held up a hand with three fingers extended. "How many fingers do you see?"

As he asked, he let his pinkie extend, then pulled in the forefinger and middle finger, then added the thumb.

"Five!" Jade declared with an unexpected giggle. Normally, the Goth would've been irritated by such a childish ploy but, after the strain of the past days, she couldn't help but find the infantile act amusing. Then, with a wicked smile, she held up her middle finger, "How many fingers do you see?"

Pierce laughed and said, "You wound me! You'll be fine. As long as you tell one of the nurses or attendants of any change.."

"How's Tori?" Jade asked, inwardly cursing the desperate tone in her voice.

"She should be fine. Her…derriere will have an…interesting scar. Don't expect to succumb to disco-mania anytime soon."

"Disco sucks," Jade said.

Pierce nodded his agreement, then added, "And she'll be on crutches for a while as the muscles mend. I still can't account for the cause but…"

"I think I can. It was a piece of the ceiling with rebar sticking out. It had blood on it when I pulled it from the crap covering her."

"Ah… That makes sense. The further, tearing damage could be from trying to get free…

"At any rate, she has a couple of broken ribs as well as a severe head trauma with contusions of varying degrees – most minor. Fortunately, the ribs weren't any danger to her internal organs. I was concerned about the severity of the head injury until she woke up. A brief series of tests indicated no extreme trauma.

"She'll be on oxygen for a while longer, now that we have some limited reserves with more on the way." He placed his finger alongside his nose and winked, playfully indicating a new black market.

"Do you know about our friends? Cat Valentine, Andre Harris and Robbie Shapiro?"

"No. I don't think I worked on them but who knows? I'll ask around though. From Hollywood Arts?"

Jade nodded. "Detective Vega, the cop who was here earlier?"

"Tori's father. Nice guy. She should be proud of him."

Jade nodded, "He said they were in another camp here in the Hills."

"Chances are good since most of the Hollywood survivors are here in Griffith Park."

* * *

"J…jade?" A low voice cut through Jade's fatigue.

"Tori?!" Jade sat up quickly, ignoring the surge of pain in her skull.

Moving over to Tori's cot, she knelt and grabbed Tori's hand. "Are you okay? How do you feel?"

"I ache…all over. My head…and my butt… When I breathe too deeply, it hurts like hell."

"Oh my, lil' Miss Tori swore! I do declare," Jade teased.

Tori chuckled then said, "Don't make me laugh, Jade. It hurts. And I don't talk like that!"

"Sorry, Tori," Jade apologized. "Anyway, you were buried under some rubble in the ballet studio. You got hit on the head. You've got stitches – and a bald spot on the back of your head," Jade chuckled for a moment, still unaware of the matching spot on her own head. "You have a couple of broken ribs so don't try to cough. Or sneeze. Or laugh."

"Thanks, Tori replied drolly. "And my butt?"

"When you were buried, a piece of the ceiling with some rebar sticking out fell on you and…punctured your ass."

"Oh. And?

"Looks like you tried to pull yourself free…"

"I… I did. Oh God, it hurt so much… And then, there was no way out…"

Jade took Tori's hand, "Don't think about that. Just remember you helped save your friends. Cat, Robbie and Andre owe their lives to you."

Troi smiled against her pillow. "You were there too…"

 _You have no idea…_

"Jade, I know what you did. Dr. Pierce told me. Um…thank you just doesn't seem like enough."

 _Guess you do have an idea…_

Now that she was talking to Tori and looking at her, Jade finally realized how soft Tori's lips were when she was doing CPR. And how she wanted to…

Jade quashed that thought. _This is neither the time nor the place…_

"I spoke to your dad. Told me how bad things are around here."

Tori looked worried but listened as Jade described the tragedy around them. Then she asked Jade, "What happened to…"

"Pierce is trying to find out about Cat, Andre and Robbie."

"What about Sikowitz? Lane?"

"Lane…didn't make it. I heard later that he was trying to get some kids out when one of the aftershocks hit. May've been the one that buried you."

"Oh no…"

"Sikowitz is okay. Remember? He went to New York for that premier."

Tori's sad face shifted to a happier visage. "Oh yeah, that guy from the class of '05."

"I thought it was the class of '08."

"No, it was…"

The mild argument went on for several minutes until they stopped, stared at each other and started to laugh.

"Jade! Don't make me laugh! It hurts!"

Even when the nurse, Josh someone, brought them MREs for dinner, they continued to talk. By this point, the discussion had moved to them describing their childhoods. Both were gaining insight into the other and found many things they actually have in common. And they slowly grew closer.

As if to show how close, they both dozed off at the same time.

* * *

Dr. Pierce came by several hours later to find both girls awake and chatting. "Hi girls. I…um… I have information about your friends."

Tori looked concerned and Jade took her hand, "Go ahead, Doc."

"Two are in the tent over on the tenth fairway – Cat Valentine and Robbie Shapiro. Andre Harris in the ninth green tent and has several multiple fractures in his arm and leg. Two of the fractures needs plates to hold the bones so they'll knit together properly. We can't do that yet so he'll be airlifted out once the evac flights start. But he'll have to wait for the more serious cases to go first.

"Robbie Shapiro was received in a coma and is still comatose. He'll probably be on one of the early flights."

"And Cat?" Tori asked.

"Yeah!" Jade said, sharply. This beating around the bush wasn't good.

"I'm sorry to tell you that her leg wound was infected…"

"Oh God, I used my shirt to stem the blood. It was pretty dirty by the time we got her free."

"No Tori, that wasn't the problem. The infection came from some old bacteria and mold in the rubble she was trapped in."

"And?!" Jade asked tensely.

"The surgeon had to amputate her leg just below the knee. If she had waited for the necessary amount of antibiotics and… Well, Ms Valentine wouldn't be here now with us.

"We're still in horribly short supply of meds and anesthesia."

"Oh my God, poor Cat," Tori moaned, her face reflecting the horror she felt.

"Can we see her?"

Pierce nodded, "I anticipated that. She's being moved to this tent. Once I learned what happened, I made arrangements to move her. And your other friends. You can all support each other until we can get them on a plane."

"Thank you Doctor."

"Hey, watch it! I'm not a doctor but I do play on on TV," Pierce said with a wink as he got up to check on others.

Just then a black and silver motorcycle roared up across the fairway outside the tent. The rider was in black leather with yellow lightning bolts along the sleeves and down the front of the yellow-collared jacket. Matching lightning bolts ran down his black, leather pants. Pulling off the black helmet, he revealed himself to be a handsome young black man. "Doc! Got a memo for ya! Straight from colonel!"

"Okay, Miles," Pierce said, patting the air as if to mute the man's voice. "Girls, this is Miles Quaid. Miles. He volunteered to be part of our information pipeline. This is Jade West and her friend…"

"She's not my friend!" Jade declared, even as she shook his hand. "You're that guy… The stunt rider. After you were the X Games gold medalist."

"Yeah, that's me. Was working on a small-scale show to do in Vegas but…"

"Miles? The message?"

"Oh, sorry, Doc. Gotta speak to my fans, y'know…"

Pierce looked over the scrap of paper then called to his friend across tent, "Hey John! Blake's got us the first load from the airlift! Anesthesia, fresh water, alcohol… Wait! There're no antibiotics! What the hell?"

Patting his jacket for a pencil, Pierce scribbled a note, "Miles, get this back to Blake!"

"You sure Doc? Pretty harsh…."

"We need antibiotics! Go!"

* * *

Before the end of the day, their surviving friends were with them. Andre was the only one conscious. The three of them kept looking at the flat place under Cat's blanker – the space that should've been occupied by her lower leg.

They tore their eyes away and smiled at each other.

"Hey chicas! Good to see you. Tori, what up with that big bootay sticking high into the sky?"

Tori blushed. Jade growled, "It's a bandage, horndog!"

"Horndog? Moi?"

Jade rolled her eyes, "God Andre, everyone knows you're an ass man!"

Tori laughed and pleasantly shocked them, saying, "And a tits man. And a…"

"A'ight! Enough!"

* * *

Robbie was still in a coma the next day when Cat woke up. This was the moment Tori, Jade and Andre feared. They would have to tell Cat about her lost leg.

The evening before, they had discussed this. Jade volunteered to tell Cat. "She's my oldest friend. I kinda think it's my responsibility."

Andre and Tori put up dispirited arguments but quickly ceded the task to Jade.

As Cat started to stir, Jade, the only mobile member of their little fivesome, quickly sat on the cot next to the faux redhead. She placed her hand on the other side of Cat's small torso to lean close to her, and to block Cat's view of her missing limb for the moment.

Cat slowly opened her eyes, focusing on Jade. A small voice asked, "jadey?"

"I'm here, Cat. So are Tori and Andre." She purposely left out the still comatose Robbie. Plenty of time after the trauma.

"Jadey? Where am I?" Cat asked in a weak voice.

"We're in a camp in Griffith Park. Tori's here. So are Andre and Robbie but Robbie is sleeping now," Jade replied, immediately feeling bad for talking to her old friend like she was ten year old.

"The earthquake? It wasn't a dream?"

"No Kitty-cat. It really happened."

As if to emphasize Jade's statement, a mild aftershock occurred.

"Oh. Where's Beck?"

"Oh, Cat, I…" Jade closed her eyes, trying to psych herself to tell Cat about their friend.

"He's dead, isn't he?" Cat asked sadly. She seemed to have dropped her childish mindset.

Jade could only nod.

Tori lied, "He saved you, Cat. He…"

Cat glanced at Tori with a sad smile, "No, he didn't. He was five feet away from me. But thank you."

Jade spoke up, "Cat, there's more…"

"What?"

"Well…" Jade paused.

"Am I hurt badly?"

"Um… Yeah, but you'll be fine. Please believe me," Jade said, her eyes watering badly.

"What's wrong with me?"

"Cat…" Jade stopped. She shook her head and turned to Tori. She saw a sad smile as the singer nodded. _Damn, she's right! I have to tell her._

"Cat, you remember your leg injury?" Cat nodded. "Well, you got an infection and… Cat, they had to amputate."

The redhead stared at Jade in horror. In a small, pleading voice, she asked, "you're kidding, right?"

"Cat…" Jade's face was a mask of sadness and concern. "I'm so sorry, Kitty."

Rather than the expected scream, Cat just laid back and stared at the top of the tent. Her sole reaction were the tears that flowed from her eyes down to the cot.

Laying alongside Cat, holding the shattered girl, Jade whispered, "Oh Cat…"

Silently, the once perky girl slowly curled into a fetal position, her arms hugging her knees, emphasizing her loss.


	4. Chapter 4 Recovery Acts

Disclaimer: _Victorious_ and its characters are the property of Schneider's Bakery and Nickelodeon. This story is for entertainment purposes only and no money exchanged hands. No copyright infringement is intended. The original characters, situations, and story are the property of the author. No profit is intended or wanted for this story.

Note: Sam Puckett never left Seattle and Nona didn't move into Elderly Acres but shared her apartment with Cat.

* * *

"Oh, Cat…" Jade moaned _._

 _I wish I could do something for her but…_ _What? What can I do? This is so unfair!_

The fact that there were other victims as bad off, or worse, wasn't a factor in Jade's, or even the gang's, consciousness, they were all focused solely on Cat.

Such short-sightedness was a natural reaction. The scale of the disaster and the emotional and physical pain were at levels no one person could easily perceive. Even relief efforts across the country – across the world – had to focus on a small portion of the massive devastation – a homeless child, a stray pet or similar single situations were what brought in the donations.

* * *

Cat wouldn't fully emerge from her emotional shell. She either lay stiffly on her back, or on her side in a fetal position. Her eyes had a hollow look. The girl would eat but only so much. As much as they tired to make her eat more, Cat only took in about only about a third of of her meals. Her fluid intake was so low, she was hooked to an IV of saline solution.

She didn't respond to her friends. Only an occasional 'yes' or 'no' but no elucidation.

With Robbie still comatose, the other three were left with the task of breaking through Cat's mental walls. For some reason none of them would be able to discover, Andre proved completely unsuccessful. Tori and Jade each got a small reaction from their friend but only on the most basic level – not much more than a human calling a sleeping dog by name. But rather than a brief tail wag, Cat gave a small nod or a very small, sad smile when she heard her name – if spoken by Jade or Tori.

Cat did glance up with recognition in her eyes when David Vega entered the tent and came over to them. But she soon returned to staring at the top of the tent.

"How's Cat?" he asked, already knowing the answer from brief conversations he had with Tori and Jade over the satphone.

They both shook their heads sadly. Andre said, "She's been pretty out of it since she woke up and found out about… Well…you know…"

"Well…" David paused and shook his head, "Ever notice how often that word, 'well', is used when you don't know what to say?"

"Dad?"

"Sorry honey. Just seen too much since the first quake, I guess."

Jade stood and hugged him. She muttered, "From Tori."

Her returned the hug, kissing Jade on top of her head. Looking Jade in the eye, he said, "Thanks, Tori."

Jade and Tori both smiled. He went on, "Jade, did you know you have a bald…"

"She knows, Dad." Tori quickly interrupted.

Andre nodded, "When she found out, she walked out of the tent and roared. Man, that was loud!"

"She didn't even stop to take a breath," Tori giggled.

"I think she scared the animals at the zoo," Andre guessed.

Jade's outlook had been rocked by the quakes and their aftermath – her friends and what happened to them. Her formally morbid view of the world and it's inhabitants had lightened up considerably. Long, late-night whispered conversations with Tori, and occasionally Andre, had also made a huge difference to her. But the fatigue and stress had built up and, once she found out she had a bald spot, even if it was only temporary, she had to vent. Loudly.

Glaring at her friends, Jade finally released David who said, "I have some good news for you.

"Jade, I finally got in touch with your father. He's in Frisco and has been worried sick about you."

"Dad? My dad?"

David nodded with a smile. "And he got in touch with your mother. He tracked her down in Pago Pago."

"Yeah, she was on a Samoan cruise with her girlfriend," Jade replied.

"She tried to get back to LA like your father but, you know, incoming flights, outside of supplies and needed personnel, are on hold."

"Figures. She's 'stuck' in Polynesia…" The sarcasm was dripping off every word Jade uttered.

David shook his head with a slightly amused smile then said, "Actually, she's in San Francisco. With your father.

"Tori, I went by the house. The house was built to code but I wasn't expecting much. This quake superseded the codes…"

"So? Are we homeless?" Tori asked matter-of-factly. She couldn't imagine her home as anything other than a pile of rubble after seeing, and hearing, how bad it was throughout the Southland.

David smiled widely, the brightness of his teeth offset against his grimy face. "Outside of broken windows, the house is intact. Turns out the house was built into the bedrock and is still standing.

"Um… The house has been partially looted – mainly electronics and silverware - but it has a roof and by late fall and winter… Well, November is over seven months away.

"But I know a glazier who will get the windows fixed as he gets the needed sheets. Oddly, he had a lot of large panes that survived the quakes so I've already got him started. What he can't repair will be boarded up until he gets the necessary glass sheets."

"That's great Dad but why would he do this?"

"Gary and I got there just as some looters were about to move on his block. He had a shotgun but was sure he'd die. He was so grateful, he offered to give us the pick of the glass he had on hand."

"Is that legal?" Andre asked.

"Not really but most people won't be in a position to need windows just yet so…" David laughed, "I was, and am, going to pay him anyway."

Andre nodded even as Tori asked, "When can we move back?"

David smiled, "Tori, don't be too anxious. You're still healing. And I don't want you on your own."

"I'll stay with her. Got nothing else to do," Jade offered with a shrug.

"Okay, talk to the doctors and let me know. I'll have to leave in a few minutes anyway."

Andre spoke up, "So, Tori, Jade… Who won the argument?"

"Huh?"

Jade shook her head, "All this and you're worried about who won that stupid argument?"

"What argument?" David asked.

"Jade is sure I'm some MMA champion."

"And Tori is denying it. But I know what I know. What I saw. It was you!"

"No, it wasn't…"

Tori stopped when another tremor shook the area.

Andre lay back wide-eyed. When the tremor passed, he looked at the girls, "Okay, whatever happens, do not talk about that anymore!"

"What…?"

"Jinx, Vega. He thinks…"

"It's a sign from God," Andre insisted.

David smiled, enjoying one of the few moments of quiet joy he'd had in a week.

"Okay, Andre. Right Jade?"

Jade scowled. She hated unsettled arguments. "Alright. I'll drop it.

"If you admit you are that Shelby…"

"I'm not!"

Another tremor rolled under them and Andre screamed like a little girl, "DROP IT!"

"Sign from God?" David asked himself with a bemused smile.

* * *

That night, Tori had a nightmare. She was trapped in blackness, her whole body in extreme pain and her air was running out. She kept screaming for Jade but nothing happened.

Her real scream was short and harsh. Jade, normally used to the screams, cries and sobs in the tent, shot out of bed and jumped over to Tori's cot. "Tori, it'll be okay. You're safe with me…"

Tori woke up to find Jade sitting next to her, running her hand from Tori's scalp back along her spine in a very comforting way.

"Thanks Jade. Sorry I woke you but…"

"Don't worry about it, Vega. After what you went through, nightmares should be expected. I'd be worried if you weren't freaking on that."

* * *

The next day was tearful for Tori, Jade and Andre. Medivac flights were underway and Andre, Robbie and Cat were due to be moved to Long Beach Airport to be flown to San Francisco for treatment. Andre didn't want to go but he needed the surgery and the plates in his right arm and left leg to ensure his fractures healed properly.

Cat needed extensive work on her leg as well as a lot of rehabilitation therapy and, eventually, a prosthesis with the requisite training and further rehab work. Her mental shut down was a major factor. Fortunately, her parents were already on their way to San Francisco from her brother's hospital in Idaho.

Robbie's coma was the most worrisome case. With no MRIs, it was almost impossible to diagnose his problem in the camp.

Jade hugged a stiff, unreacting Cat, "Please get better, Cat. Your life isn't over. Remember that. And remember you have people here who love you too."

Jade thought she felt the small hand squeeze hers as she held Cat's hands for a brief moment. She squeezed back before turning to Robbie.

"You always manage to piss me off Shapiro. So get better and come back to irritate me. Or I'll track you down with a pair of garden shears!"

Andre chuckled but stopped as Jade walked to his cot. "Hey! Ah…I was laughing with you…?"

Jade smiled a non-threatening smile even as she said, "Shut up Harris! You'll probably be on your feet before them so you have to keep an eye on them. When you can, I want regular updates."

"Sure thing, Jade."

She leaned over to hug the prone musician. He returned the hug with his good arm.

"Now, don't start crushing on me again," Jade warned, with a small half-smile.

"You knew?"

"Figured it out…"

At that moment, the medics came in. They took each one out on a stretcher to the field ambulance. Each passed Tori who was still on her belly. She reached out to hold Cat's hand, "Cat, please get better. I need my crazy friend with me. I love you Cat."

Next came Robbie. "Robbie, please get better. You're my favorite stalker…"

Andre was the last and Tori was crying by that point. "Hey chica! No tears. I'll be back soon. Count on it!"

"You better!" Tori said with a sob.

"Look, maybe you'll get a free trip to Frisco too."

"I… Take care of them, Andre." She didn't want to say anything but she wouldn't go anywhere without Jade – if Jade was willing to go.

* * *

"Why didn't they take you too?" Jade wondered, secretly glad Tori was still with her.

"According to Dr. Pierce, my injuries aren't that bad. My butt is the worst and apparently there's not much more that can be done than the stitches I already have. Why? Trying to get rid of me again?"

Jade was taken aback but quickly said, "No. And I have no reason for you to believe me but I don't want to lose you too. This is a scary… I'm telling you something I never thought I'd ever say out loud. To anyone.

"I'm scared by this whole mess. I think, like everyone else who lived in the area or even visited…" Jade shook her head at the collective tunnel vision. "I…we all knew the danger but I don't think any of us ever really expected this to happen. Not in our lifetimes."

"Jade, I think that's common to anyone in a disaster. Tornado victims, hurricane victims…"

"Yeah but that's not what I was really trying to get at. Basically… I'm…" Jade closed her eyes and took a deep breath. This was a very rare moment where Jade would admit to a weakness, and a need. "I don't want to be here alone."

"Thank you, Jade," Tori replied, appreciating how hard that was for her friend. Then she added, "Sorry I'm the one to be here to keep you company."

"No. Don't… Tori, I'm glad it's you. Beck… Oh God, I still can't believe he's gone…"

"Me either," Tori agreed sadly.

"Anyway, things with Beck have been different since we broke up. He was more distant. Or maybe it was me… Probably me. Robbie and I have known each other since grade school, same with Cat. But they never really matured. And I grew harder and…" Jade shook her head. "Andre is a great guy but he's not you."

Tori smiled at Jade.

Nothing more was said about their friends. Instead, Jade again actually opened up about her home life and her dreams. And Tori happily, silently, decided she had been right to constantly fight for Jade's friendship.

* * *

David Vega came by the next day. "I have good news. The house is ready for you. The glazzer actually got most of the windows replaced. There's a plywood sheet behind the piano and one of the windows facing out onto the street. The deck door had one too. Anyway, once the docs give you the okay, I'll take you home." He turned to Jade, "I expect you to come too."

"I… Why me?"

"Well, you did promise you'd be there for Tori. And I need someone I trust to look after Tori. And someone who can intimidate any creeps still trying to loot the area."

"You trust me?" Jade asked, disbelieving.

"Yep!"

Tori reached out and took Jade's hand. "I do too."

"There's a safe room in the house that's still intact. Almost more like a classic 1950's fallout shelter. There're supplies and a couple of guns down there. And I'll bring more supplies along from time to time. Nothing fancy but no worse than the food here."

At that point, Pierce entered. "Doctor! This is my father, David Vega."

"Detective Vega, a pleasure. I'm Ben Pierce. Your daughter is a strong, resilient young woman. You should be proud."

"Doctor, the pleasure is mine. And believe me, I am very proud of her. And Jade. I owe you big time for what you've done for Tori and her friends."

"How 'bout a get-out-of-jail-free card?"

"At least."

The older men chatted for a short time until Tori had to butt in. "Hey! When can I go home?"

"Well, are you sure you have someplace to go?"

"We do," David assured him.

"How 'bout tomorrow? In the morning?"

The girls practically cheered as the men discussed the details.

* * *

The next day, they were settled in the Vega home. Pierce gave Tori a medicinal doughnut, an inflatable small life-saver, that she can sit on without pressing on her wound. In a badly overdone Godfather voice, he said, "Some day, and that day may never come, I will call upon you to do a service for me. But until that day, consider this a gift."

It took her some time to learn how to position it properly so her injury was over the hole with no pressure on the wound. She was using the end of the couch to rest upright. As difficult as it started out, Tori was so grateful to be able to sit up (more or less). And she could even sleep on her back, if she was willing to arc her torso over the doughnut.

But the first thing Tori did was limp up to her room for her glasses. The doctors had removed her contacts, and threw them out, when they started treating her. And Tori desperately wanted to see clearly again. She chuckled as she thought, _Especially Jade's bald spot…_

David showed Jade the safe room, Tori following slowly on crutches. "I found this soon after we moved in. I stocked it with water, canned goods, dried goods, batteries and other necessary supplies. Over the years, I restocked as the supplies came close to expiring. I had hoped I was wrong but I always thought this disaster would hit us. Also part of the reason we bought this house. It was a quite a bit more than we wanted to spend but the house is built into the bedrock. Structurally this was better built than others built at the same time.

"I got a few propane lanterns over there with additional tanks. Candles, Bic lighters and boxes of wooden matches.

"There's a chemical toilet. It'll be fragrant but better than the alternative. If you need it…"

"Alternative?" Tori asked, her nose wrinkled at the thought of using the small 'throne'.

"Yeah, like crapping in the unflushable toilets, or the bathroom sinks or…"

"Please Jade!" David said with an amused groan.

As he continued to explain, he showed Jade where the two Sig-Sauer automatics and the necessary ammunition was stored. "I'd suggest each of you carry one whenever you leave the house. I have concealed carry permits for both of you. Took some work since bureaucracy seems to be the only thing earthquakes can't stop."

Upstairs, Tori asked, "Dad, if… When Andre, Cat and Robbie come back, can they stay here too?"

David nodded. "Sure. They'll need you two."

Catching a subtle tone in her father's voice, she asked, "Dad?"

"Cat's grandmother didn't make it. She was in her home in Venice when the wave hit. And Andre's grandmother was in her house when one of the landslides took out her subdivision."

"Oh my god…" Tori muttered.

"nona?" Jade asked in a small, wounded voice.

"I'm sorry girls. I wanted to tell you before but… I wanted you somewhere where you felt safe.."

"What about the Shapiros?" Tori finally managed to ask.

"I don't know… There are still a lot of missing people out there. Lots of people in shock or who just haven't registered with the relief teams."

"Here's another satphone with a couple of spare batteries. Since you can't plug into the Army generators at the camp whenever you need to, use it sparingly as the batteries aren't that good. Only like six hours of charge. And it's likely power won't be restored any time soon.

He walked over to Tori who was standing, leaning on her Army issue crutches. Kissing her on her forehead and her cheek, he said, "Be good, pumpkin."

"Pumpkin? You haven't called me that in years…"

Jade interrupted, "Yeah, he did. I remember him saying it at least one time when you were asleep."

"And you're still my little pumpkin. I love you, baby."

"I love you too Daddy."

Jade shook her head, "I'm glad this isn't a movie.. Otherwise one, or both, of you would be dead before the last reel."

David laughed while Tori snapped, "Way to kill the mood, West!"

"It's what I do," Jade simply stated.

* * *

Over the next couple of weeks, power and water came back intermittently. Every time the water came back, there was an announcement of the emergency broadcast channels of a boil order.

Jade and Tori made sure one of the satphones was plugged in ready to charge when the sudden, if temporary, restoration of power would occur.

During one of his increasing visits, David explained the power plants were waiting for more fuel to power the generators but did power up the grid to help the hospitals and relief camps running on emergency generators as well as map the worst areas for needed infrastructure repair – which was roughly ninety percent of the area.

The water would also come on but, initially, the shutdowns were from cracked mains finally separating, causing the pressure of the brownish water to drop drastically. Once that happened, they shut off all the water as repair teams were sent out.

Soon though, the water and power were on at the same time, once the DWP (Department of Water and Power) came off their generators and were back on the grid. Every week, the electricity and water flowed for longer periods. Tori saw it as a good sign. Jade scoffed but privately agreed, even as she kept at least one of their satphones plugged in for the random power-on periods.

* * *

A few days after they moved in, Jade was clearing the candles out of the fireplace. They were ultimately used for illumination around the living room and kitchen during the blackouts..

"Before I go too far with this, is this a real fireplace?" Jade was under the stone mantle, looking up for the flue.

"Yes," Tori sighed. "It's a real fireplace. Why?"

"So. I can build fires? For cooking and boiling? Maybe some branding?"

"Uh, branding?"

"Oh, don't worry, it won't hurt much." Jade crawled out, wiping her hands clear of old soot, as she shared a wicked smile.

"M…me?!"

"Well, how else will people know you're mine?"

"I'm… Wait, what?!"

Jade pulled Tori to her feet and kissed her thoroughly. Tori's arms were at her side but quickly wrapped around Jade.

Breaking the kiss, albeit reluctantly, Jade said, "I was right. Your lips are really soft."

"When did you… Oh, right! Did I ever thank you for…"

"You can start now," Jade interrupted before pulling Tori's face to hers.

* * *

The ensuing weeks passed quickly. Tori and Jade deepened their relationship slowly, following their own pace. Even after the life-altering event by the fireplace, they were in no hurry.

That changed a couple of weeks later, when there was another aftershock, admittedly a weak one. Tori had been trying to walk with only one crutch and Jade was with her to catch Tori if need be. The tremor sent them into each other's arms. The initial panic gave way to desire and they were soon in Tori's bed to consummate their newfound love. And Jade found a new thing to tease her girlfriend about – privately calling her Three-cheeks Vega.

When they weren't naked in bed, they often were able to talk to Andre. He was pretty bad off after hearing about his grandmother but, as time passed, he was slowly coming to accept it. When they called him back a few days later, he had recovered enough to tel them about the surgery for his arm and the other for his leg a few days later. On another call, he described the agony of the torture chamber at the hospital – the rehabilitation center.

Jade asked about Cat, who was deeper into her self-imposed catatonic state after one intern had the brilliant idea to shock her out of her catatonic state with the news about Nona,. The genius plan backfired, the intern was fired and Cat ended up having to be fed through an IV and hooked up to a catheter. (Jade wanted details on who the idiot was. She promised herself, the intern would pay.)

Andre spent a lot of time with Cat when he wasn't undergoing surgery, recovering from it or in rehab. The past week, she finally acknowledged Andre's presence. That was followed by short sentences and one-word answers. She was slowly coming back to them.

Andre got a video of people who had lost a limb, or even two or three, and how advances in prosthetics allowed them to live their lives fully. Cat slowly came around when she saw paraplegics running marathons or in swimming competitions.

Andre didn't know much about Robbie except he was still comatose. An initial MRI showed a massive contusion to his brain. Later scans showed the injury was shrinking but there was still damage. The extent was undetermined as long as Robbie remained in the coma.

* * *

It took six weeks before Tori's mother and sister could come home. When they did, the three Vega women spent several minutes in a group hug.

On the couch, playing with Tori's butt life-saver, Jade just looked at them and shook her head. Trina broke the group hug and went over to Jade.

"Yes?" Jade asked in a bored voice.

Trina pulled Jade up off the couch and wrapped her arms around the Goth. "Thank you, Jade. Oh, thank you so much!"

"You're welcome? And get off me!"

Trina backed off but was surprised to see the small smile on Jade's face.

Then it was Holly's turn to enfold Jade in her arms.

The next fifteen minutes were hugs and tears and joy.

David walked in. "Hey! No love for me?"

He was practically knocked off his feet when he was suddenly assaulted by five women.

 _I'm a lucky man…_

* * *

As they all sat and got caught up, Trina asked the embarrassing question. "How did you go… You know…"

"Well, we had the chemical toilet for a week or so before it got too bad… Even if the water was bad, at least we could flush."

"But that wasn't regular or…"

Jade sat back with an amused look on her face, "Just don't go between the big yucca plant and the back wall of the yard…"

Things were still rough for the next several months. The official report, based on seismographic records from around the globe, as well as the scale of the damage, finally placed the Great Los Angeles Earthquake as a magnitude 8.2. Officially the strongest earthquake in the continental United States and the strongest in North America outside of several Alaskan quakes.

Quake damage repair at Los Angeles-Long Beach Harbor was on the priority list as was LAX. The Signal Hill fires were extinguished before they could threaten Long Beach Airport. Tsunami damage recovery in San Diego had Lindbergh Field, as well as the US Naval base at Coronado, operating to one degree or another. (Naturally, the Miramar Naval Air Station and the Coronado base were priority, even over Lindbergh.)

With a lot of hard work, several weeks after the quake, relief flights were finally coming into LA itself through LAX, Long Beach and John Wayne Airport.

Edwards AFB was still being used for civilian relief as well. Forgotten by the world at large, cities and towns outside of LA, such as Bakersfield, San Bernardino, Redlands and Palm Springs, as well as smaller desert towns like Yucca Valley, Desert Hot Springs or San Jacinto had also been hit and almost as badly damaged. The Air Force base facilities were dedicated to helping those towns and others scattered across the High Desert.

Supplies were flowing into southern California from around the country at a steadily increasing rate. Doctors, nurses, engineers, construction and demolition crews as well as many others willing to lend a hand. And more than a few who were there to take advantage.

Rebuilding was finally underway. The mayor and the governor both promised Los Angeles and the surrounding area would have the most up-to-date infrastructure in the country. It would take time but the construction shifted a near-dead economic state to what was bound to be one of the most vibrant in the United States for the next few decades – the time projected to restore LA to its former glory. Or ignominity, according to some.

Across the country, and in some cases the world, special events were staged to raise money and supplies for the people, and the pets, affected by the quake. One such was a special MMA tournament with all proceeds going to relief efforts. Shelby Marx herself even donated twenty thousand dollars.

* * *

Andre, finally back in LA and walking on his own, was sitting on one of the Vega sofas with the Vegas. Jade and Tori sat close on the other. They were preparing to watch the live MMA match being broadcast over Pay Per View.

Southern California, due to the still largely unavailable internet and cable networks, got the match broadcast over the air – for those who were in areas with electricity restored for the most part.

"So Cat is in Seattle?"

"Yeah, guess there's some cyber-tech outfit there working in bionics. She actually volunteered. Guess she thinks she's Jamie Summers, heh-heh-heh," Andre chuckled.

"Don't knock it," Jade replied. "Advances in prosthetics have been incredible. There are already people with robotic limbs they can control. But I don't think Cat will be the Bionic Woman." The old Jade would've gone on a riff about cyborgs taking over hosts and the world. A small part of Jade wishes she was that person, until she glanced at Tori and realized her life was so much better.

The preliminary bouts ended and the main event was about to start.

When Shelby Marx came out, Tori said, "See? Not me!"

"How do I know this isn't a tape from before the quake?"

Tori sighed, "I give up!" She grabbed Jade's head in both hands and pulled her close. "I'm not Shelby Marx"

"No, please," Andre begged, looking upward. "No more quakes!"

David spoke up, "Jade? Look at the mat she's on. The logo is for Los Angeles Quake Relief at Caesar's Palace. That's now. How could they know that before the quake?"

Beaten but refusing to give up, Jade countered, "Photo Shop!"

"You are so stubborn! I love that about you," Tori declared.

Trina shouted, "SHUT UP! THE FIGHT IS ABOUT TO START!"

* * *

Cat had a much longer time in Seattle than anyone expected. In San Francisco, she finally seemed to come to her senses and was responding to questions with more than one syllable answers. Her appetite returned and she was asking for seconds. Given how much weight the teen had lost, the dietitians agreed to the additional food – as long as the doctors okayed it.

In Seattle, she was practically her old self, albeit less flighty and with fewer non-sequiturs. When she spoke to Jade and Tori for the first time since that long-ago lunch hour, she talked about the new leg they were fitting her for and how much she'd be able to do. But mainly she talked about this community-service orderly named Sam.

The end of the conversation came quickly and the girls didn't have time to process it. Cat said, "Hey, I gotta go. She's bringing me my lunch. Hi Sam! Oh, bye Tori. Bye Jade. Love you both!"

"Sam's a girl!" "Holy shit!" they said at the same time before laughing.

Sikowitz stayed in New York, he was hired on as a stage director for the revival of _Beatlemania_. He was also working with the producers of a new musical based on the Coen Brothers movie, _O Brother, Where Art Thou?._ He already 'ordered' his former students to attend the premiers of each show.

Andre continued extensive therapy to overcome some mild nerve damage in his arm. He concentrated on his ability to play keyboard instruments. While he loved the guitar, his true love, musically, was always the piano.

Trina was overwhelmed by the ruined city she returned to and it caused a major personality shift. Rather than becoming a star, she decided to become an architect. She studied for several years at UC Santa Barbara (the colleges in the LA area were over a year away from being ready for classes at that time she started) and graduated with a degree in structural engineering and honors.

With her old schoolmate, Sinjin Van Cleef, they devised stronger structural support with less weight, a way to economically erect structures that would withstand any earthquake up to magnitude 9, maybe even higher.

The Shapiros were found in a refugee camp near Covina and were quickly taken to their son. One or both were with Robbie at least for the first few says of their arrival. Harried, tired surgeons and nurse agreed to keep them in the loop as the Shapiros were convinced not to stay there for so long.

After over a year in a coma, Robbie slowly awoke. He had only partial vision in one eye, due to the damage to his brain. That same injury jump started some hidden area of his brain and Robbie found his IQ was higher than Einstein. He decided to put that extra brain power to use and became a neurosurgeon. The schoolwork was finished in record time. The actual training couldn't be rushed but he excelled at it. All his instructors agreed he was going to go far.

Last and far from least, Tori and Jade had a long, happy life. Though it took longer than either had imagined, both became successes in their chosen fields – Tori as a actress and singer. Jade wrote several best-selling books, turning three of them into popular movies, before she found the courage to expose herself by writing a factual account of the earthquake and how it devastated herself, her friends and her home. And how it made her a better person.

Tori wrote the introduction, full of anecdotes about their early years before a heartfelt acknowledgment of how much Jade had matured and how much she owed to the woman she loved.

It wasn't the storybook ending they all hoped for but far better than any of them expected during the days of chaos when the Earth turned their worlds upside down.

* * *

 **Afterword:** Overall, I'm happy with this story although I'm not satisfied and feel it has a weak ending. But, while this is mainly a Tori/Jade story, I wanted to address the fates of the rest of their friends and families. While a sequel isn't likely, if I do write one, I'll spend a lot of it exploring the others. Still, I hope this short series was an enjoyable distraction for all of you.


End file.
